Nostalgia isn't really my thing - I prefer to look forward rather than glance backward. Of course I relish the movies and music of the 70's when I was growing up, but that stuff means as much to me now as it did then. In 1975 there was no bigger event than the release of their Physical Graffiti album by Led Zeppelin, but I was listening to that CD when travelling in my car this morning and it still sounds as vibrant to me now as it did almost 40 years ago. So that doesn't feel like a yearning for nostalgia, it feels more like an appreciation of the quality and the longevity of musical genius.

Similarly when I look back on our financial year 2013/14 it is the performance of our people, their dedication and commitment that resonates for me. Products come and go, marketing campaigns dissolve, but the tenacity and the focus on Hanley values remain intact as we reflect on a very successful year for the Society. That's why yesterday's meeting of the senior management team is so important. We met to discuss and evaluate the proposed PRP appraisal ratings for every member of staff at The Hanley, to ensure consistency and transparency and to challenge ourselves, and Key Managers, on our approach and our conclusions. Spending a full day talking about People Performance isn't an extravagance, it's a testimony to the culture at The Hanley and proof of the rigorous way we choose to appraise and develop our single greatest asset - our staff. It is also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding meetings for me personally, as it reminds me (in a non-nostalgic sort of way) just how amazing our staff are and the pivotal role they play in our success.

This year we held our PRP meeting against a backdrop of some of the best results we've achieved in many years -

• Mortgage Advances up 39% to £65m
• Net lending up 47% to £23m
• Savings balances up 12% to £310m
• New membership up 80% to 2,215

It is an obvious point to make, but an important one to repeat - our success this year is a consequence of having talented, committed and engaged staff. I’m grateful for all of their hard work and I’ll allow myself a brief look back to the past year, closely followed by a look ahead with optimism to an equally buoyant 2014/2015.

CHOOSE ADVICE BEFORE YOU CHOOSE A MORTGAGE DEAL

Across the media fixed rate mortgages are fashionable. The logic goes like this; interest rates are at their lowest level for decades and the Bank of England base rate has been stuck on 0.5% for nearly 5 years so their only way is up, therefore grabbing a fixed rate deal now is the smart move, especially as there are still plenty great fixed-rate offers on the market. Indeed even a senior member of the Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee ,Richard Sharp, advocated this when he declared this week that "now is a good time to fix" when he delivered his perspective in front of the Treasury Select Committee. Obviously Mr Sharp was speaking in generic terms to UK families rather than providing mortgage advice, but he captured the mood that fixed rates are magnetic, as evidenced by recent statistics from the Council of Mortgage Lenders which reveal that 9 out of 10 new borrowers are opting for a fixed rate loan rather than a variable rate mortgage.

Automatic decisions always make me twitchy! I prefer to consider the options. That's why I believe in informed advice at an individual level before a new borrower plunges into the congested pool of fixed-rate buyers.

Choice across a range of alternatives is beneficial to the customer as is a tailored solution. Undoubtedly the attraction of a fixed rate deal is the certainty of knowing how much is payable each month for the period of the product, typically 2 or 5 years. Such an assurance is vital for many people as they weigh up affordability. BUT although the next move in interest rates will be upwards , we cannot say when that will occur and it could even be 2 years away. So the differential between a fixed rate and a comparable variable rate product can't be ignored. Even if rates rise in mid 2015, as some predict, a variable rate mortgage could be a smarter choice and this relative strength is even more pronounced when set up fees are taken into account. Most variable rate products are fee-free whilst fixed rates can carry fees of £2000 or more. This may be a heavy charge for the certainty of knowing your monthly payments. Unlike a variable rate mortgage there is a rigidity and inflexibility inherent in a fixed rate deal so if pliabilty is important to a customer then a variable rate product may be more suitable.

I am not getting all Orwellian and Animal Farm here....fixed bad, variable good........but nor is the reverse true. Crucially, the pivot is genuine choice via informed, professional mortgage advice so that no one is just shoe-horned into the latest fashion.